Career and Education Opportunities for Clerks in Anchorage, Alaska

There are many career and education opportunities for clerks in the Anchorage, Alaska area. The national trend for clerks sees this job pool growing by about 15.3% over the next eight years. Clerks generally compile data, compute fees and charges, and prepare invoices for billing purposes.

Clerks earn approximately $17 hourly or $36,400 per year on average in Alaska. Nationally they average about $14 per hour or $30,950 annually. Clerks earn more than people working in the category of Billing and Bookkeeping generally in Alaska and more than people in the Billing and Bookkeeping category nationally.

The Anchorage area is home to four schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of Anchorage where you can get a degree as a clerk. Clerks usually hold a high school diploma or GED, so it will take only a short time to learn to be a clerk if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Clerk

In general, clerks compile data, compute fees and charges, and prepare invoices for billing purposes. They also duties include computing costs and calculating rates for goods, services, and shipment of goods; posting data; and keeping other relevant records.

Clerks verify precision of billing data and revise any errors. They also operate typing and billing machines. Equally important, clerks have to contact customers so as to obtain or relay account data. They are often called upon to perform bookkeeping work, including posting data and keeping other archives concerning costs of goods and services and the shipment of goods. Finally, clerks ready itemized statements or invoices; and record amounts due for items purchased or services rendered.

Every day, clerks are expected to be able to see details at a very fine level of focus. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for clerks to resolve discrepancies in accounting reports. They are often called upon to type billing documents and credit forms, using typewriters or computers. They also keep archives of invoices and support documents. They are sometimes expected to inspect documents such as purchase orders or hospital archives so as to compute fees and charges due. Somewhat less frequently, clerks are also expected to consult sources such as rate books and insurance company representatives in order to establish specific charges and data such as rules and government tax and tariff data.

Clerks sometimes are asked to compile reports of cost factors, such as labor and equipment. They also have to be able to inspect compiled data on operating costs and revenues so as to set rates And finally, they sometimes have to operate typing and billing machines.

Like many other jobs, clerks must be thorough and dependable and be reliable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Anchorage include:

Bookkeeper. Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.

Gaming Cashier. Conduct financial transactions for patrons in gaming establishments. May reconcile daily summaries of transactions to balance books. Accept patron's credit application and verify credit references to provide check-cashing authorization or to establish house credit accounts. May sell gambling chips, tokens, or tickets to patrons, or to other workers for resale to patrons. May convert gaming chips, tokens, or tickets to currency upon patron's request. May use a cash register or computer to record transaction.

Insurance Processing Clerk. Process applications for, changes to, and cancellation of insurance policies. Duties include reviewing insurance applications to ensure that all questions have been answered, compiling data on insurance policy changes, changing policy records to conform to insured party's specifications, compiling data on lapsed insurance policies to determine automatic reinstatement according to company policies, canceling insurance policies as requested by agents, and verifying the accuracy of insurance company records.

Office Clerk. Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring limited knowledge of office management systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, stenography, office machine operation, and filing.

Payroll Machine Operator. Operate machines that automatically perform mathematical processes, such as addition, subtraction, and division, to calculate and record billing, accounting, and other numerical data. Duties include operating special billing machines to prepare statements, bills, and invoices, and operating bookkeeping machines to copy and post data, make computations, and compile records of transactions.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Clerk Training

University of Alaska Anchorage - Anchorage, AK

University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508. University of Alaska Anchorage is a large university located in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 16,649 students and an admission rate of 68%. University of Alaska Anchorage has a less than one year program in Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping which graduated three students in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska photo by File Upload Bot

Anchorage is located in Anchorage Municipality County, Alaska. It has a population of over 279,243, which has grown by 7.3% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Anchorage, 89, is well below the national average.

The top three industries for women in Anchorage are health care, educational services, and public administration. For men, it is construction, public administration, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 20 minutes. More than 28.9% of Anchorage residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 10.2%, is higher than the state average.

Anchorage is home to the Chugach and the Black Bear Campground as well as Baxter Bog Park and Alaska Railroad Power Reserve. Visitors to Anchorage can choose from Courtyard Anchorage, Creekwood Inn and The Voyager Hotel for temporary stays in the area.